A Better Future for Fundraisers - And Why Building Resilience Early Matters Now

Mental Health Awareness Week is a good moment to acknowledge something the sectors still often overlooks: fundraisers carry emotional weight every day. They do it because they care, and because the work matters. But caring doesn’t make anyone immune from pressure. If anything, it makes it harder.

This week is a reminder that wellbeing isn’t a side issue. It’s the foundation of sustainable performance. And right now, the sector has a real opportunity to build fundraising teams that feel stronger, more connected and more able to do their best work.

When fundraisers feel supported and part of something, performance rises. Collaboration becomes easier. Confidence grows. Impact increases. Wellbeing isn’t a perk. It’s one of the clearest indicators of a high‑performing fundraising team.

The Emotional Load 

Fundraising exposes people to stories and situations that stay with them. Some are inspiring. Some are painful. Many are both. Add in targets that grow faster than the resources behind them, and even the most committed people can start to feel stretched. 

This isn’t about fragility. It’s about the cumulative effect of working in the emotional space that often goes unrecognised.

What the Research Told Us 

Research by our sister company, Revolutionise: What Makes Fundraisers Tick? (2022), showed a profession already under strain. Half of fundraisers expected to leave their jobs within two years. Nearly a third expected to leave the profession entirely. Those numbers weren’t surprising to anyone who has worked in the sector. They simply confirmed what many fundraisers were already feeling. 

But the research also highlighted something hopeful: wellbeing is one of the strongest drivers of performance. When fundraisers feel connected, supported and valued, their motivation rises and their results improve. When wellbeing drops, performance drops with it.

The Added Challenge of Disconnection 

Remote and hybrid working have opened doors for people who previously couldn’t access fundraising role: parents, carers, people outside major cities and others. That progress really matters and enriches our profession. 

But remote work changes how people experience the emotional side of the job. You can deliver a briefing or hit a deadline from your kitchen table, but it’s harder to feel part of a team when most interactions happen through a screen. Fundraising has always relied on shared energy and the sense that you’re not carrying the emotional load alone. Those things are harder to feel when you’re physically on your own most of the week. 

Remote workers aren’t less committed. They’re not less resilient. But their wellbeing needs more intentional support. Without regular in‑person connection, it becomes harder to spot when someone is struggling, harder to build trust and harder to feel anchored in something bigger than your own task list. 

The What Makes Fundraisers Tick? research reinforced this: fundraisers thrive when they feel connected to people who understand their world. When that connection fades, motivation and wellbeing fade with it.

Why Traditional Responses Fall Short 

When someone starts to struggle, the response is often predictable: take a break, have a few days off, call the Employee Assistance Programme. These things can help in the moment, but they don’t change the conditions that caused the strain. They simply send someone home with the same pressure waiting for them. And now new worries about how they’re perceived.

Real Resilience Comes From Preparation 

Fundraisers are naturally resilient. They wouldn’t last long in the profession if they weren’t. But resilience isn’t something you either have or don’t. It needs to be built, maintained and replenished. 

That’s why EmPower exists. Not to patch people up after they’ve hit the wall, but to strengthen them long before they reach that point. Resilience grows when people have the skills to face challenges directly - moving through them with confidence rather than seeking to avoid them.